My first casting session (kind of long)

[Ifishsum]

Tonight I got brave and decided to cast my first boolits with the new equipment. I'm all Lee (can't beat the price, right?) with a Production Pot IV and a few sets of molds. I decided to start with .358s cause I'm out of them. Loaded up the pot with WW alloy I smelted a couple weeks ago and while it was heating up, I got the double mold all ready per Mr. Lee's instructions. Dipped the corner in the melt for a bit, then started pouring.

Being new to this, I expected a little learning curve. I didn't get the first hole filled well but got a good puddle on the second. I waited too long to cut the sprues and had to whack the plate with a wooden stick, but got one perfect boolit from the side I poured right. This is gonna be easy! Except that my next 40 or so were all wrinkly and weren't filled out right. I thought the mold would heat up as I went but that didn't seem to be happening, at least not enough. In frustration I set down the mold and dumped the ugly boolits back into the pot and took a break. The first one came out great, so I figure it's not the alloy or the mold, I'm just not doing it right.

Back at the furnace after a beer, I stuck the mold about halfway into the melt for 20 seconds, then poured a couple more. These ones came out very frosted which I know means the mold is now too hot, but they were filled out better. I waited about 30 seconds then poured a couple more. Now we're getting somewhere! I cranked out about 8 more good, well filled out boolits, then they started getting all wrinkly again. Dang! I dipped the mold back into the pot for an 8 count or so and got back to good once again. Must be going too slow, the mold is cooling down faster than I'm heating it up I guess. So I sped up the whole process, cutting the sprues about 5 seconds after they frost over and finally managed to crank out a hundred or so decent boolits until the pot started getting low on alloy and had to stop and add a little more. The next 150 went pretty well - I had a rhythm going: Fill the mold, drop the two previously cut sprues back into the pot, then cut the new ones and drop the boolits. Only a few rejects in the bunch. I want to do more - it's kind of addicting - but it's getting late.

I have a few observations that may help other newbies.

- The mold has to heat up more than I thought before it will cast well.

- That mold has to stay that temperature while you're casting, and aluminum molds cool down pretty quick.

- It's probably difficult to go too fast and overheat the aluminum mold. I had to work at a pretty quick pace to consistently get good boolits.

- Once you get going, you want to crank out as many as you can. Not only is it fun, but once you start throwing nice hunks of lead you don't want to stop for fear of losing the sweet spot.


All stuff I pretty much knew going in, from reading the mold directions and lots of the posts on this board. I mostly just underestimated how much heat the mold needs to make nice boolits, and how quickly you cut the sprues and refill the mold.

I'm hooked!

[Taylor]

Hey there Ifishsum,welcome aboard.This is a good place to keep up with casting techniques,and share info.Might I offer a word on putting sprues back in to the pot?It will lower the temp,and you have to wait all over.Normally what I do is to wait unti I get low on melt,and then throw my sprues back in,melt,get to temp,flux,and make boolits!But, that's the way I do it,I suppose everyone has there own way of doing things.Good luck.

[DLCTEX]

You may want to try Bullplate lube from Bullshop for your mold. It stops galling and allows you to cut the sprue faster so that the mold is kept hotter. Also there is not the baked on buildup that other lubes cause. You develop a feel for the speed needed to cast boolits that aren't too frosty or wrinkled, and it can be different from mold to mold. Personally, I cut the sprue and drop it back in the pot right off the mold so that it is hot and has minimal effect on the melt temp. This is best done for me using an awl to push the sprue from the plate inverted over the pot, just a touch through the hole is all that's needed, if anything, using Bullplate. DALE

[44man]

Just turning up the lead temp a little will let you slow down a little. I usually ladle cast with two, 2 cavity Lee molds at the same time without wrinkles, in fact I have to relax or I get frosted boolits.
With 2 molds I am around or just under 800*. I turn down for just one mold.
And I let the sprue harden and use a stick to cut sprues even with Bullplate.
Once you get the hang of it you will find out there is no need to rush.
Sometimes I have one mold that holds heat better, like my home made ones, so I cast once with it and twice with the cooler one.

[Marshal Kane]

Welcome to the gang. Sounds like you've got the technique down so now all you have to do is refine it. Would suggest you flux regularly and be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pot to bring up any slag that might be clinging there. If you start getting gray foreign specks in with your bullets, that's slag being drawn out of the spout along with your alloy. Nothing more frustrating than to cast rejects. Best wishes and cast safely.

[HORNET]

Once you get the tempo figured out, you're going to find out that that Production Pot IV gets empty REAL fast..might want to start saving up for the 20 pounder. Amazing how much money this hobby can save........

[runfiverun]

o yeah yoou save all kinds of money and time also
i think i have saved almost 10,000 in casting and loading equipment alone
and maybe 4,000 in powder brass and bullets.
never mind all the gas i saved tracking down ww's and scrap lead.

[encoreman]

LOL Hey Run, This is sort of like deer hunting. It isn't about the amount of deer meat put in the freezer, heck it only cost about $60.00 per pound. And look at all the "fun" were having. I bet that re-loading and shooting is a lot cheaper than say bass fishing in a $30K + boat, with a 200+H.P. motor and the tow vehicle and $3.79/gal gas plus all the tackle and such. If I counted all the equip, guns, brass etc it wouldn't add up to 1/2 what a good bass boat costs. And I can pretty much get more for my stuff than I paid for it. Just thinking aloud. Mac

[Cherokee]

Good first session !! You will develop a feel for things as you gai experience. I would suggest you turn the heat up a little on the pot.

[Ifishsum]

Thanks for the comments and welcomes. At one point i think I may have got my melt a bit too hot cause I got a bluish looking scum on the top - I don't have a thermometer but between 8 and 9 on the pot was where I had it last night. I'll experiment a little, and I imagine that will depend on the alloy some as well (I also have some pure lead for blackpowder bullets and balls).

I lubed the mold with a touch of straight beeswax on the vees, pins and sprue bushing and noticed that there is a little bit of buildup on the alignment pins but otherwise it seemed to work fine. I will order some of the Bullplate lube and try that cause everyone says it's the best stuff. When I get it, what's the easiest way to clean off the old lube buildup? Am I also supposed to lube the top of the mold where the sprue plate rubs?

[R.M.]

It can't be stressed enough to not get any lube, be it bees-wax or bull-plate or whatever in the cavities. And, you'd be amazed at how that stuff can creep/wick it's way into the cavity. A tiny, tiny bit will go a long way.
As far as your melt turning blue, this happens. My pots run at about the 7-8 mark, but they're all unique. Pure lead will sometimes get some real pretty colors on the surface. It's not really a sign of too much or too little of anything in particular. One of life's mysteries. Probably just oxides.

[DLCTEX]

I lube the top of the mold and the sprue plate. Cast some boolits and leave them in the mold, cut the psrue, then lube the top of the mold. Very little lube on a Q tip, just a trace, on a hot mold works great. DALE

[Ifishsum]

Thanks again for all the support and tips. I think I figured out some of my issues - I switched to casting .45-255s and could not get good fill-out to save my life - even after preheating the mold like crazy, maxing the heat up on the pot AND casting 18-20 horrible looking boolits. On a whim I tried ladle pouring them and they came out perfect. The lead just barely dribbles out of the bottom of the pot and doesn't fill the larger mold fast enough. It does not seem to be clogged so I'm gonna enlarge the hole a tiny bit and see if that helps. .358-158 is and likely will be the smallest boolit I will be casting and it just barely fills them adequately (takes like 3 seconds to fill and puddle).

[TAWILDCATT]

be care full with the drill.the lee can be adjusted to give more,the screw on top adjusts the lever.you also might put some sawdust on the hot lead it will burn but stop air from getting to the lead.marvelux is good as it puts a glass like coating on top of lead[liquid coating].I have never had trouble with moulds and I use 6/4/2/1 cavity.dump the sprues on side and use them to start the next cold batch.you do drop the bullets on aan old towel,right.
you did not clean the 45 mold well.one thing I did was mill the plate to make a grove the length of top that gives a nice sprue.[first hole to last hole].if the spout
drips turn rod with screw driver a couple times.lee are excelent tools for price but you may have to prep them a little.you prep them or lee does it for twice the price.
:groner:--;)